Soldiers arrest head of Guinea-Bissau’s army, briefly detain PM in West African nation
By APThursday, April 1, 2010
Soldiers arrest head of Guinea-Bissau’s army
BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau — A minister says renegade soldiers arrested the head of Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces and its prime minister in an apparent coup attempt.
Hours later, the soldiers released the prime minister after hundreds of people gathered in front of his office chanting “Never a coup d’etat in Guinea-Bissau.”
Minister of Territorial Administration Luis Sanca told The Associated Press that he and the prime minister were taken hostage by the soldiers at 8 a.m. on Thursday.
The West African nation has been wracked by coups, countercoups and a civil war in its 35 years of independence from Portugal.
Guinea-Bissau’s current president won an election last year to succeed the former leader, who was assassinated a little over a year ago.
